Faux Brahmin

Ok we’re actually drinking product of Vougeot today – but if you pinpoint that on an unlabeled map, you’re probably already disappointed with this blog. Go learn something new. This is amateur hour. For the unwashed heathens (aka respected and valued readers of this limited circulation), a map can be found below. We are sampling funky grape juice from halfway between Dijon and Beaune in the Cote-de-Nuit (a collection of villages including Vougeot).

So what do we notice? Well – Vougeot is DOMINATED by one Grand Cru and a couple of scrappy 1er Cru (premier cru) vineyards. Ok so what does that mean? Well wine in France is a complicated mess. A great intro guide can be found here. Long story short, Grand Cru is considered the very best of Vineyards in France. Is this always true? Absolutely not. These designations were created hundreds of years ago by monks. Many 1er Cru are actually WAY better than some Grand Cru in this humble imbibers opinion. Ok – so what do we do with this designation since the system has more holes than a Louis Sachar novel? For me, I start with the producer (In the post below that is Michel Gros). There are fantastic producers, and awful producers. The fantastic producers tend to be either 1) very well known, 2) the young hotshots your wine store knows about. For Burgundies if you’re drinking in the US – Ansonia Wines is very good for #2 and some of #1. Once you have a producer you believe in, then you can generally move up and down their quality ladder using the Village/Classification (AOC) to find a sweet spot. Some of the above may be inaccurate or apocryphal. However, I repeat it loudly and with confidence. Nothing can possibly go wrong.

Ok now onto the wine. This is absolutely not an everyday drinker. In fact, if you’re a real prick (takes one to know one), this is the red you don’t advertise and largely drink yourself when throwing a dinner party. You have something completely serviceable that you push, and hold this in reserve. Yes. I am the literal worst. Yes, my friends know it. It was my birthday recently and this dynamic was held out as 1) antisocial, 2) not charming. Perfect sort of thing to highlight to strangers on the world-wyd-web.

This is a Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, with 11 years of age on it (as of time of drinking) from Michel Gros a top-tier producer/winemaker. He is part of the broader Gros family which has a strong mix of skeletons, infighting & talent. Anne Gros (a cousin? sister?) also makes phenomenal wines.

Alright. so what did we think? Very good. As a reminder, my rating scale is pretty muted. This bottle was absolutely phenomenal. Stellar. It is just entering its drinking window. I had some stone fruit but way more muted than anything you’d get from the new world. Mellow might be the word. Moderate oak, with some burnt meat and red jelly notes. Not sweet but not a tannin adventure either. Acid was present but pretty muted. Folks would likely call this a structured wine. You have all three playing well together (acid, alcohol & tannin). Honestly, if this wine was a third the price it would be an easy pantheon wine. Just absolutely magnificent.

Budgetary Suggestion With that price bit in mind. A quick recommendation. Don’t start with this. Just don’t do it. Your spouse will thank you years from now as you can afford to send your progeny to college. Michel Gros makes a very approachable and delicious $35-50 range. A personal favorite is Haut-Cote de Nuits. It sells out all the time, but it is delightful – a Fairly Nice to Very Good. You get a lot of this wine, but with 20-25% of the cost. Yes, it has some seams in it, and it probably won’t age that extra decade. Who are we kidding though. You’re reading this. You’re not laying this down for 25 years, you’re drinking it in 10-15 if you manage to be patient – and you’re hardly ever patient.